Feasibility study for a model-based engineering toolbox for shale gas wastewater treatment

页岩气的开采可能对英国未来的能源供应安全、国际收支平衡和制造业竞争力至关重要。然而，公众对此表示强烈反对，主要是因为公众对生产大量受污染的水的环境关注。因此，安全有效的设计、操作和监测压裂和反排水处理过程至关重要。基于模型的工程是实现这些目标的关键技术，但目前还没有合适的综合工具集。该可行性研究提案是为页岩气水处理设施的优化设计和操作提供高保真建模工具箱的预商业开发，该工具箱基于对其他领域（如化工、石化和传统废水处理）成熟的现有技术和专业知识的转移、调整和扩展。它还涉及关键利益相关者的参与，以探索基于商业前开发的产品和服务的后续商业开发的需求和潜在应用。

The exploitation of shale gas is likely to be critical to UK security of energy supply, balance of payments and competiveness of the manufacturing industries in the future. However there is strong public opposition, largely because of environmental concerns focused on public perception of large quantities of contaminated water being produced. For this reason, safe and effective design, operation and monitoring of fracturing and flowback water treatment processes is crucial. Model-based engineering is a key technology to achieve these, but currently no suitable comprehensive set of tools exists. This feasibility study proposal is for pre-commercial development of a high-fidelity modelling toolbox for optimal design and operation of shale gas water treatment facilities based on transferring, adapting and extending well-established existing technology and expertise from other sectors such as chemicals & petrochemicals and conventional wastewater treatment. It also involves engagement of key stakeholders to explore the requirements and potential applications for subsequent commercial development of product and services based on the pre-commercil development.